1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tape cassette loading apparatus suitable for a logical-control-type car stereo tape recorder, and more particularly to a tape cassette loading apparatus permitting smooth movements of individual components at suitable timings with a simple construction.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, tape recorders of the logical control type have been popular wherein a plurality of manual operation elements for putting the tape recorder into predetermined operation modes and a stop mode are constructed as touch switches and various movable elements of a tape recorder mechanism are moved by power of a motor to respective positions at which an operation or stop mode corresponding to a manually operated one of the manual operation elements is established.
An exemplary one of tape cassette loading apparatus for such tape recorders is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. SHO 61-17248. The tape cassette loading apparatus includes a cam gear connected to be rotated by a motor, and a solenoid serving as changing-over means. The cam gear and the solenoid are controlled so that a changing-over operation between loading and unloading (ejection) of a tape cassette and a changing-over operation of the position of a head mounting plate from one mode to another (selected from play, fast-forward and rewind modes) may be performed alternatively.
The prior art tape cassette loading apparatus, however, is disadvantageous in that it is complicated in construction because the cam gear and the solenoid must be controlled in a mutually associated relationship. Besides, it is difficult to design the associated elements so that they may move in an accurately timed relationship with one another.